Teen Therapy

I provide therapy to teens and pre-teens tailoring the services to fit the needs and maturity level of the individual. I prefer in-person sessions and provide telehealth only by special arrangement for anyone under age 18. 

Therapy provides skills and insight to empower teens to make wise decisions and develop healthy relationships

By blending conversation with engaging activities such as games, worksheets, books, roleplay, and more, I work to make therapy  enjoyable and relevant.

I teach the young people I work with skills to prevent their emotions from hijacking their thoughts and feelings so they can rationally consider their choices.

We practice and learn to exercise sound judgment in choosing how to behave and how to create healthy friendships.

Parent and family involvement is key in shaping your teen’s journey.

Adolescence is inherently about trial and error, but with positive influences and supportive relationships within the family, your teen’s ability to navigate life’s challenges can be greatly enhanced.

By involving parents in setting healthy boundaries and facilitating their teenager’s healthy and wholesome development, we can cultivate an environment conducive to your teen’s success.

I make it a priority to welcome feedback from parents and other caregivers and try to give parents ample opportunity to express their concerns regarding Client’s treatment, behavior, attitude, and so forth. There will likely be times set aside periodically for parents to speak with me privately and/or for them to speak to the Client and me together about their thoughts and feelings regarding the needs and progress of their son or daughter’s therapy journey.

Together, we’ll establish secure boundaries and foster open communication that nurtures a bond of love and respect between parent and teen that can withstand the test of time.

However, privacy is a cornerstone of the therapy process.

Individual Therapy is generally a one-on-one visit in a private setting with only the Client (teen) and therapist present in session. What we discuss is confidential. Unless I have reason to believe a teen Client is at eminent risk of being harmed or harming others, I won’t share what is discussed in therapy without the teen’s consent.

That said, there will be situations that warrant inviting other people into therapy. For example, if the Client is not 18 or older, there will be documents that require a parent’s signature or there may be a limited exchange of information necessary for billing insurance or coordinating care when doctors, agencies, or other involved professionals are involved in the minor’s care. I’m happy to discuss specifics if you have questions.

Also, while therapy is about the Client, s/he may have a concern that involves a family member or a problem that depends on someone else’s cooperation for its solution. Or their may be a sensitive situation which requires a difficult conversation between the Client and someone they care about.

When these kinds of things come up, bringing those involved into therapy for a particular period and purpose is often helpful, but it will be up to the teen if or when this happens.

Adolescence is complicated!

Bein a teenager today isn’t the same as in past generations.

Besides the age-old culprits such as hormones, social awkwardness, and the perpetual struggle to be “good enough,” this generation must also learn to navigate constant bombardment by social media and other tech influences.

In addition, with the impact of COVID, social media has become an acceptable, often desired, replacement for in-person human relationships that has left many vulnerable young people without the buffer of positive self-esteem and encouragement that come from real-life, face-to-face friends and social groups.

It’s tough to be a teenager in the 2020’s in ways that previous generations never imagined!

Therapy can make it less complicated.

Through therapy teens gain knowledge and learn skills that empower them to better manage their emotions, make wiser choices, and develop healthier relationships. If we all work cooperatively together, your daughter or son will leave therapy prepared to approach adulthood by creating a future that brings them joy and satisfaction.

For a more detailed description of my typical therapy process, refer to the ABOUT page.